70 nationalists attend Preston meeting

More than seventy nationalists attended the John Tyndall Memorial Meeting held at a venue just outside Preston city centre yesterday afternoon.

Following ‘anti-fascist’ attempts to disrupt the 2015 event, and complications with the original venue, this year’s JTMM was unusually held on a Friday rather than a Saturday, which helped avoid a clash with the National Front’s event in Birmingham the following day.

Speakers at the 2017 John Tyndall Memorial Meeting

Thanks to an excellent security team there was no trouble of any kind, and we had a very good event, chaired by John Tyndall’s old comrade Keith Axon, former West Midlands BNP organiser.

Speakers included Benny Bullman, lead singer of Blood & Honour band Whitelaw and longstanding British Movement activist; Julie Lake, South West Forum organiser and SW NF organiser; Richard Edmonds, NF Directorate member and right-hand man of John Tyndall in both NF and BNP; Mark Collett, author of the new book The Fall of Western Man (reviewed in the current issue of H&D); Dr Jim Lewthwaite, former Bradford City Councillor and Chairman of the British Democratic Party; Mike Whitby of British Voice; Stephen Frost, British Movement National Secretary and author of the recent biography of Colin Jordan, ‘Twas a good fight; and H&D‘s assistant editor Peter Rushton.

Benny Bullman addressing the 2017 John Tyndall Memorial Meeting

Mark Collett speaking at the 2017 John Tyndall Memorial Meeting

South West Forum and National Front regional organiser Julie Lake

NF Directorate member Richard Edmonds, formerly National Organiser of the BNP

Richard Edmonds with the framed photograph of the 1977 Lewisham NF rally, presented to mark his 45 years in nationalism

The event brought together nationalists with extensive political experience, including at least six former councillors from Blackburn, Darwen, Bradford, Burnley and Coedpoeth (Wrexham), and several longstanding branch, regional and national organisers. Groups represented (some with merchandise stalls) included British Movement, British Voice, Western Spring, the Creativity Movement, British Democratic Party, National Front, English Democrats and Candour.

Meeting organiser Mark Cotterill thanked all involved, including audience members who had travelled from every part of the British Isles – including both Northern Ireland and the Republic – as well as Wales, Scotland and the farthest corner of England, the channel port of Dover. We even had one H&D subscriber all the way from Poland.

Video will be available soon.

Former city councillor Dr Jim Lewthwaite

Richard Edmonds (right) with former Burnley councillor Derek Dawson

BM National Secretary Stephen Frost

H&D editor and meeting organiser Mark Cotterill

H&D Assistant Editor Peter Rushton

Some of the many literature stalls at the 2017 JTMM, run by Paul Ballard (above and below)

A limited number of copies of the souvenir programme from this event are available for £5 from Heritage & Destiny, 40 Birkett Drive, Preston, PR2 6HE.